Research shows that people who attribute their weight to genetics make more unhealthy choices

Making the choice to become healthier is one that people struggle with every day. To many, dieting and exercising can seem like a pointless waste of energy. I’m sure you’ve heard the following excuse (or one like it) at least once: “Everyone in my family is overweight. It’s just how it is for us.”

Researchers have found that the above line of thinking can be very dangerous. A new study shows that people who believe that they have no control over their weight are more likely to have unhealthy body mass index scores (BMIs), make poorer food choices, and believe they are less healthy than those that do not have these beliefs.

Researchers were able to come to their conclusions after examining medical and self-reported health data from nearly 9,000 men and women. They found that individuals who do not take ownership of their weight problems are much more likely to make short-term, unhealthy decisions, rather than long-term, healthy ones. These bad decisions include eating satisfying, albeit unhealthy, foods and avoiding exercise.

Age and gender factors

Age may also be a factor in a person’s opinion on weight. Researchers found that older people are less likely to make healthy food choices, such as reading nutrition labels and buying fruits and vegetables. They also tend to exercise less and eat foods that are less healthy- such as frozen, ready-to-eat, and restaurant meals.

Surprisingly, although age was a factor when it came to weight mindset, the authors of the paper found that gender was not. “Although previous research has found gender differences in weight as a motivation for exercise and healthful eating, we did not find evidence that gender affected the relationship between health beliefs and physical activity or healthful eating,” they said.

Changing this perception that your weight is determined by your genetics is integral to the health of the general population. “By fighting the perception that weight is unchangeable, health care providers may be able to increase healthful behaviors among their patients,” said co-authors of the study, Dr. Mike C. Parent and Dr. Jessica L. Alquist.

Making the choice to become healthier is one that people struggle with every day. To many, dieting and exercising can seem like a pointless waste of energy. I’m sure you’ve heard the following excuse (or one like it) at least once: “Everyone in my family is overweight. It’s just how it is for us.”

Researchers have found that the above line of thinking can be very dangerous. A new study shows that people who believe that they have no control over their weight are more lik...

But don't take that as an excuse to camp out on the sofa

See all those people sweating in the health club? All that exercise is certainly good for their cardiovascular systems and overall health, but is it helping them lose weight? Not so much.

That's the conclusion of public health scientists Richard S. Cooper, MD and Amy Luke, PhD of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

“Physical activity is crucially important for improving overall health and fitness levels, but there is limited evidence to suggest that it can blunt the surge in obesity,” Luke and Cooper wrote in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

The two scientists have been studying the link between physical activity and obesity for years. They say that when they started their research, their assumption was physical activity would prove very important to losing weight. But the more they investigated, they say the more their doubts grew. Now, they say the preponderance of evidence has shown their initial assumption was wrong.

Input and output

Losing weight, after all, is all about input and output. Your body burns a certain number of calories each day. If you consume more than that, you tend to gain weight. If you consume fewer, you tend to lose it.

So burning 300 calories at the gym allows you to consume the same number of calories you normally do and have a net 300 fewer on the consumption side. The problem is, we don't usually consume the same number of calories on days when we burn off 300 at the gym.

If you increase your activity, Cooper and Luke say, your appetite increases and you compensate by eating more food. So with or without increasing physical activity, calorie control remains key to losing or maintaining weight.

“This crucial part of the public health message is not appreciated in recommendations to be more active, walk up stairs and eat more fruits and vegetables,” the authors write. “The prescription needs to be precise: There is only one effective way to lose weight – eat fewer calories.”

Cooper is a professor and chair, and Luke is a professor and vice chair, of the Department of Public Health Sciences of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

Food industry isn't helping

They contend the food and beverage industry has tried to divert attention from calorie consumption by promoting the theory that lack of physical exercise is a major cause of obesity. They point to a recent New York Times report that Coca-Cola, the world’s largest producer of sugary beverages, “is backing a new ‘science-based’ solution to the obesity crisis: To maintain a healthy weight, get more exercise and worry less about cutting calories.”

In their write up of their study, Cooper and Luke lay out evidence that physical activity alone is not key to losing weight.

A number of clinical trials have found that exercise plus cutting calories achieves virtually the same weight loss as calorie restriction alone. Observational studies find no association between energy expenditure and weight change.

Yes, it's true that some Americans exercise enough to influence body weight – a professional tennis player, for example – but the number who actually achieve that level of physical activity is minuscule.

While physical activity has many benefits, so does eating the right kinds of food. When embarking on a diet to reduce calories, just make sure you aren't depriving your body of needed nutrients.

The National Institute on Aging has reported on numerous studies showing a 30% reduction in calories promotes longer life. Eating a balanced diet, just smaller portions, is one way to achieve that.

See all those people sweating in the health club? All that exercise is certainly good for their cardiovascular systems and overall health, but is it helping them lose weight? Not so much.

That's the conclusion of public health scientists Richard S. Cooper, MD and Amy Luke, PhD of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

“Physical activity is crucially important for improving overall health and fitness levels, but there is limited evidence to suggest that it c...

Sort By

Vegetarian populations tend to be slimmer than meat-eaters, and they experience lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other life-threatening conditions linked to overweight and obesity. The new review, compiling data from 87 previous studies, shows the weight-loss effect does not depend on exercise or calorie-counting, and it occurs at a rate of approximately 1 pound per week.

Rates of obesity in the general population are skyrocketing, while in...

It's not enough to know what works, knowing what doesn't is also helpful

If you've resolved to lose weight this year, congratulations. It's a healthy goal. But how you go about it will have a lot to do with whether you succeed.

Dr. Aaron Michelfelder of Loyola University Health System is well acquainted with weight-loss strategies that work and those that don't. He's identified 5 in particular that he sees time and again but with poor results.

Gym memberships soar in January because that's when many people decide to adopt a...

Not as effective as proper diet, many researchers now conclude

When people want to lose a few pounds, their first thought may be to head off to the gym for some exercise. But it turns out it takes a lot of exercise to burn just a few calories, and most health experts recommend a combination of proper diet and exercise.

Increasingly there is a suggestion that too much emphasis is placed on exercise and not enough on healthy eating habits.

In a strongly worded editorial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers point out t...

Dieting May Be Harmful To Your Health, Study Warns

Exercise is the Key to Keeping Weight Off

04/12/2007 | ConsumerAffairs

By Unknown Author

Low carb, low fat, low calorie -- whatever the diet, a new study suggests it might actually do more harm than good.

Researchers at UCLA analyzed the results of more than 30 studies involving thousands of people who went on diets to lose weight. That found that more than two thirds who lost weight regained it, putting themselves at risk of a heart attack in the process.

Constantly losing pounds and putting them back on is called "the yo-yo effect."

Doctors say repeated change in body weight eventually puts additional stress on the heart and leads to other health problems. Among the potential ailments stemming from repeated weight loss and regain are cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and altered immune function.

The study is published in the April edition of American Psychologist, the journal of the American Psychological Association.

"You can initially lose 5 to 10 percent of your weight on any number of diets, but then the weight comes back," said Traci Mann, UCLA associate professor of psychology and lead author of the study. "We found that the majority of people regained all the weight, plus more."

In fact, the researchers concluded that for many people, it would have been healthier for them to not try to lose weight by dieting at all. Exercise, on the other hand, appears to be more helpful. The researchers identified exercise as a key factor leading to sustained weight loss.

"Studies consistently find that people who reported the most exercise also had the most weight loss," the authors said.

Researchers at UCLA analyzed the results of more than 30 studies involving thousands of people who went on diets to lose weight. That found that more than two thirds who lost weight regained it, putting themselves at risk of a heart attack in the process.

Constantly losing pounds and putting them back on is called "the yo-yo effect."

Doctors say repeated change in body weight eventually puts additional stress on the heart and leads to other health problems. Among the poten...

"Eco-Atkins" diet reduces carbs and animal proteins

Everybody's heard of low-fat diets. And everybody's heard of the "caveman diet," which cuts carbs and emphasizes animal protein. Now, researchers at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto have shown for the first time that, in addition to weight loss, a specific low-carbohydrate diet may also reduce the risk of heart disease by 10% over 10 years.

The diet, often called "Eco-Atkins," is a low-carbohydrate vegan diet. Many low-carbohydrate diets have been proven to improve weight loss but most emphasize eating animal proteins and fats, which may raise cholesterol. Diets that are high in vegetable proteins and oils may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering "bad cholesterol."

"We killed two birds with one stone – or, rather, with one diet," explained lead author Dr. David Jenkins, a Nutritional Sciences professor at the University of Toronto. "We designed a diet that combined both vegan and low-carb elements to get the weight loss and cholesterol-lowering benefits of both."

The findings, which were published in British Medical Journal Open, compared Eco-Atkins to a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. The Eco-Atkins diet reduced cholesterol by 10% while also helping participants lose an average of four more pounds than the high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet over six months.

"We could expect similar results in the real world because study participants selected their own diets and were able to adjust to their needs and preferences," said Dr. Jenkins, who is a vegan.

Menu plans

Participants were given menu plans that outlined food items and amounts. Rather than requiring fixed meals, the menus served as a reference guide and participants were given a list of suitable food alternatives. With an exchange list of interchangeable food items, participants were better able to adapt the diet to their personal tastes – which helped to encourage adherence to the diet.

Twenty-three obese men and women completed the six-month diet. Participants were encouraged to eat only 60% of their estimated caloric requirements – the amount of calories that should be consumed daily to maintain their current weight.

Eco-Atkins participants aimed for a balance of 26% of calories from carbohydrates, 31% from proteins and 43% from fat – coming primarily vegetable oils.

Carbohydrate sources included high-fibre foods such as oats and barley and low-starch vegetables such as okra and eggplant. Proteins came from gluten, soy, vegetables, nuts and cereals. Predominant fat sources for the Eco-Atkins diet were nuts, vegetable oils, soy products and avocado.

Everybody's heard of low-fat diets. And everybody's heard of the "caveman diet," which cuts carbs and emphasizes animal protein. Now, researchers at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto have shown for the first time that, in addition to weight loss, a specific low-carbohydrate diet may also reduce the risk of heart disease by 10% over 10 years.

The diet, often called "Eco-Atkins," is a low-carbohydrate vegan diet. Many low-carbohydrate diets have been proven to improve...

Calories are what counts when it comes to weight control

Very few things you consume are calorie-free. Water is one. Many diet beverages also fall into that group. But when you see food packages labeled “fat-free,” remember that the product inside does have calories. In fact, chances are it also has some fat.

For a product to meet the guidelines to be labeled fat-free, it must contain less than 0.5g of fat per serving. True, that's not very much fat but if you ignore the serving size and end up eating several servings, the product is no longer even close to being fat-free.

“Reducing the amount of fat and saturated fat that you eat is one easy way to limit your overall calorie intake,” the NAtional Institutes of Health (NIH) says on its website. “However, eating fat-free or reduced-fat foods isn't always the answer to weight loss. This is especially true when you eat more of the reduced-fat food than you would of the regular item.”

Peanut butter comparison

If you need to reduce fat from your diet for health reasons, that's one thing. But thinking the reduced-fat food will help you lose weight is probably misguided. Food manufacturers make up for the lack of fat by adding flavor-enhancing sweetners and salt.

For consumers who want to cut down on both fat and calories, nutritionists have begun promoting the creative use of herbs and spices. These flavor-enhancing additives can allow you to cut down on sugar, which adds calories, and sodium, which can raise blood pressure.

John Peters, professor of medicine at the University of Colorado, recently presented results from an experiment he conducted using meatloaf, vegetables and creamy pasta.

He concluded that adding just a small amount of everyday herbs and spices to vegetables and reduced-calorie meals may make those foods more appetizing to consumers. That, he told the 2013 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo, could ultimately help consumers cut down on dietary fat and select more foods in line with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

In Peters' study the test group of 150 subjects tasted the meal with full fat, which contained 610 calories, one with reduced fat, and one with reduced fat using everyday spices added such as onion, oregano, paprika and garlic. Both alternatives clocked in at 395 calories.

Putting it to the taste

How did they taste? The experiment rated the meals using a nine-point Likert scale. The meals were randomized so nobody knew which of the three they were eating.

The analysis of the experiment found the test subjects could not tell the difference between the full-fat meal and the reduced-fat meal with spices. Both scored about a 7.0 on the scale.

When subjects tasted just the meatloaf, they picked the reduced-fat version with herbs and spices, giving it a slight edge over the meatloaf with full fat. The same held true for the vegetables.

Only the creamy pasta tasted better with its full complement of fat. Peters urged the food industry to continue studying the relationship between herbs and spices and dietary satisfaction.

“Substituting herbs and spices for fat may be a promising strategy for helping people meet the Dietary Guidelines, especially if it’s simple stuff you can buy in the store that doesn’t require any exotic training,” Peters said.

Very few things you consume are calorie-free. Water is one. Many diet beverages also fall into that group. But when you see food packages labeled “fat-free,” remember that the product inside does have calories. In fact, chances are it also has some fat.

For a product to meet the guidelines to be labeled fat-free, it must contain less than 0.5g of fat per serving. True, that's not very much fat but if you ignore the serving size and end up eating several servi...

Saxenda joins 3 other recently-approved treatments for obesity

Just in time for all those weight-loss New Year's resolutions, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved another new weight management treatment.

Saxenda is an injection that, when combined with a reduced-calorie diet and physical activity, helps treat obesity. The drug is approved for use in adults with a body mass index (BMI) classifying them as obese. The drug may also be prescribed for adults with a BMI of 27 or greater who have at least one weight-related condition like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol.

There may be a large market for Saxenda since according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one-third of adults in the United States are obese.

“Obesity is a public health concern and threatens the overall well-being of patients,” said James Smith, acting deputy director of the Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Saxenda, used responsibly in combination with a healthy lifestyle that includes a reduced-calorie diet and exercise, provides an additional treatment option for chronic weight management for people who are obese or are overweight and have at least one weight-related comorbid condition.”

Three trials

The FDA evaluated the safety and effectiveness of Saxenda in 3 clinical trials that included approximately 4,800 obese and overweight patients with and without significant weight-related conditions.

Results from one trial showed that patients had an average weight loss of 4.5% in a year compared to those who got placebo. In this trial, 62% of patients treated with Saxenda lost at least 5% of their body weight compared with 34% of patients treated with placebo.

Contrave

Saxenda joins a number of new weight loss drugs recently approved by the FDA. In September, the agency gave a green light to Contrave.

The effectiveness of Contrave was evaluated in multiple clinical trials that included approximately 4,500 obese and overweight patients with and without significant weight-related conditions treated for one year. All patients received lifestyle modification that consisted of a reduced- calorie diet and regular physical activity.

Results from a clinical trial that enrolled patients without diabetes showed that patients had an average weight loss of 4.1% over treatment with placebo (inactive pill) at one year. In this trial, 42% of patients treated with Contrave lost at least 5% of their body weight compared with 17% of patients treated with placebo.

Effectiveness

Weight loss drugs, of course, are not for everyone who just wants to lose weight. According to the Mayo Clinic, these drugs are usually reserved for people who haven't been able to lose weight through natural means like diet and exercise, and who have health problems because of their weight.

In other words, they aren't for people who want to lose just a few pounds for cosmetic reasons.

Keep in mind that the drugs are just doing part of the work. The Mayo Clinic says diet and exercise are largely responsible for weight loss, with the drugs contributing to it as well. And once you stop taking the drugs and backslide on your diet, you can expect the pounds to reappear.

Just in time for all those weight-loss New Year's resolutions, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved another new weight management treatment.

Saxenda is an injection that, when combined with a reduced-calorie diet and physical activity, helps treat obesity. The drug is approved for use in adults with a body mass index (BMI) classifying them as obese. The drug may also be prescribed for adults with a BMI of 27 or greater who have at least one weight-rela...

Eating lots of prunes dampens the appetite, researchers find

Prunes don't get much respect. Aside from, or perhaps partly because of, their reputation as an unusually effective laxative, they're not something most of us would think about as the ideal snack.

But a study by the University of Liverpool finds that those who ate dried prunes experienced greater weight loss than those who ate tastier items.

"These are the first data to demonstrate both weight loss and no negative side effects when consuming prunes as part of a weight management diet," said Liverpool psychologist Jo Harrold, who led the research. "Indeed in the long term they may be beneficial to dieters by tackling hunger and satisfying appetite; a major challenge when you are trying to maintain weight loss."

Consumption of dried fruit is not generally recommended during weight loss despite evidence it enhances feelings of fullness but the study of 100 overweight and obese subjects found that prunes may be the exception.

The study also examined whether consumers could tolerate eating substantial numbers of prunes.

Study details

To assess the effects of prunes on weight and appetite, participants in the study were divided into two groups – those who ate prunes every day and those who were merely given advice on healthy snacks.

The researchers found that members of the group which ate prunes as part of a healthy lifestyle diet lost about 4.4 pounds (2kg) in weight and shed about 1 inch (2.5cm) off their waists. However, the people in the group which was given advice on healthy snacks lost only 3.3 pounds (1.5kg) in weight and 6/10 of an inch (1.7cm) from their waists.

The study also found that the prune eaters experienced greater weight loss during the last four weeks of the study. After week eight, participants showed increased feelings of fullness in the prune group. Moreover, despite the high daily doses, prunes were well tolerated.

Prunes don't get much respect. Aside from, or perhaps partly because of, their reputation as an unusually effective laxative, they're not something most of us would think about as the ideal snack.

But a study by the University of Liverpool finds that those who ate dried prunes experienced greater weight loss than those who ate tastier items.

"These are the first data to demonstrate both weight loss and no negative side effects when consuming prunes as part of a weight man...

Cutting Calories, Not Exercise, Best Way to Lose Weight

Study Finds Calorie-Cutting is Best Long-Term Solution

05/12/2007 | ConsumerAffairs

By Unknown Author

Exercise is healthy, but its not an effective way to lose weight.

New research done at the University of Alabama at Birmingham suggests that for those who have been successful at losing weight, reducing calories is an effective way to keep weight off, especially when it is difficult to find time to exercise.

In findings published in the May issue of Obesity, the researchers report that 80 percent of study participants maintained their weight loss during two years of follow up, and most did it primarily by sticking to a low calorie, low energy density diet.

Our results show that individuals who successfully maintain body weight after completing the Universitys EatRight Weight Management System consume fewer calories and have a lower energy density dietary pattern than those who do not maintain body weight, said Jamy Ard, M.D., assistant professor of nutrition sciences and medical director of EatRight Weight Management Services.

This calorie control led to successful weight maintenance despite the fact that these individuals did not meet recommended exercise levels.

Ard and colleagues followed 89 former EatRight participants for two years. The 80 percent who had successfully maintained their weight loss consumed fewer calories than those who gained weight, and tended to eat a diet consisting of low energy density foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

A low energy density diet means an individual can eat more yet take in fewer calories than with high energy density foods.

While the importance of physical activity is well established, our study demonstrates that adopting a lower calorie, low energy density dietary pattern may reduce the amount of physical activity that is truly necessary for weight maintenance, said Tiffany Cox, M.P.H., program coordinator for the EatRight follow-up study.

This could have a positive long term effect on weight maintenance by giving individuals a more easily attainable physical activity goal, which they may be more likely to pursue.

Ard says research indicates that failing to reach an exercise goal can cause a decrease in self-efficacy and self-satisfaction, eventually causing individuals to cease exercising altogether.

Its clear that exercise combined with a low energy density diet is the best approach for weight loss and overall good health, said Ard. But many people report finding time to exercise is a major obstacle. Its encouraging to report that weight loss can be maintained primarily through a low calorie diet.

EatRight, created at UAB more than 30 years ago, is based on the concept of time-calorie displacement, which encourages a substantial intake of foods that have fewer calories by volume such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, while limiting consumption of foods that are calorie-dense such as meats, cheeses, sugars and fats.

New research done at the University of Alabama at Birmingham suggests that for those who have been successful at losing weight, reducing calories is an effective way to keep weight off, especially when it is difficult to find time to exercise.

In findings published in the May issue of Obesity, the researchers report that 80 percent of study participants maintained their weight loss during two years of follow up, and most did it primarily by sticking to a low calorie, lo...

Whether it's just the promise of the quick fix or the easy nature of it all, fad diets continue to soar

If you ask me, food fads are kind of interesting for a couple of reasons.

First, it’s interesting to see how millions of people will all of a sudden decide to stay away from a certain food or choose to eat only one type of food in order to lose weight.

Like the Atkins craze for example, which seemed to peak a few years ago in terms of popularity, for a third time since it was first introduced in the late 1950s.

By the time 2001 and 2002 hit, many people abruptly decided to shun all carbohydrates and they considered things like rice, pasta and bread to be the actual Devil in food form.

Technically, diets like Atkins and The South Beach Diet aren’t fads, because they’ve been around forever, but for some reason, depending on maybe just one study, a widespread news report or a manipulated study finding, many consumers will abruptly shift their regular eating habits to replace it with the newest and latest diet craze.

According to a study released by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research & Extension, there are very specific ways to spot a fad diet, which can be helpful for new dieters, who may think a particular diet is an across-the-board scientifically proven approach.

The study shows that if a company is saying its product has quick weight loss potential, and it’s not pitching long-term permanent fat loss, removed healthfully, you really want to be suspicious of that product and place it in the here-today-gone-tomorrow category of fad diets.

Initial weight loss

Researchers say initial weight decline is from loss of muscle and water, and the successes of a diet product shouldn’t be measured by this type of weight loss, since it’s predictive of how long you’ll be able to keep off that weight.

In addition, if a diet product says that you’ll be able to lose more than one to two pounds per week, you should press your inner consumer alert button, since quick loss generally means quick gain, the study shows.

Another telltale sign, of course, is if a diet plan doesn’t include exercise in its program, which many don’t.

A lot of these companies cater to the folks who don’t like to exercise and they use the reasoning that all you have to do is either eliminate or add certain foods. Products hardly ever deal with the problem of over-eating or inactivity, in case you haven't noticed.

Completely removing certain foods or choosing to stock up on another is a basic characteristic of the fad diet and many companies choose to use customer testimonials over scientific evidence to sell their products.

Furthermore, fad diet companies either make huge sweeping claims about what the results will be after using a product or they’ll draw a simplistic and catchy-sounding conclusion from a very intricate study, researchers show.

And they’ll do this just to make a decent sales pitch, the study shows. There’s very little concern about your actually losing weight to keep it off.

Dollars over health

Additionally, researchers say the entire concept of buying a certain product to lose weight should be the first sign to consumers that something isn’t right, and it shows that the company is placing dollars over health and not using an approach that includes patience, hard work and follow-up.

In fact, researchers say choosing to eliminate or add a particular food to follow a diet plan can lead to all kinds of health risks and even death in some cases.

“This practice is extremely dangerous because it can lead to nutritional deficiencies and starvation,” said researchers in the study. “It can also lead to anemia, malnutrition, decreased renal function and ultimately death. Weight loss does usually occur but sticking to the plan tends to be difficult because of the monotonous nature of the diet.”

But yet and still, why are so many popular fad diets, well, popular?

Because you would think common sense would engender a bit of caution among consumers when it comes to using a diet product that’s advertised in-between one of those wretched reality shows.

For some reason, it’s hard to take a product seriously when it follows some Brandi Glanville rant from the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”

Yes, unfortunately, I know who that is.

Kristi King

Kristi L. King, who’s the Senior Dietitian for Texas Children’s Hospital, Clinical Instructor at the Baylor College of Medicine and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition of Dietetics says a lot of these kinds of diets are merely repackaged and sold again throughout the years, and each time, new people are sucked into the giant promises of quick results.

It’s really nothing new, says King.

“Earliest reports of fad diets are from early 19th century, so we have been at this for a long time,” said King in a statement for ConsumerAffairs.

“Fad diets sometimes do produce results, however, they don’t necessarily teach someone how to sustain a good quality of life on the diet and most importantly, how to live a healthy lifestyle. So, one goes off the diet and the pounds come back quickly. Someone then repackages the diet again and viola a new 'fad' diet. It’s a vicious cycle,” she says.

In addition, King says the luring combination of small work and large results are the perfect line to cast out towards a sea of people who don’t have the time or desire to lose weight the traditional way.

Instant gratification

“Instant gratification,” she says. “Many people think quick fix when they see the new diet. We as a society tend to be fixated on immediate results with as little work as possible. So when the newest diet pops up in the media or on the front display of the bookstore, people tend to want to try it, seeking those quick results.”

Another tactic by companies, experts find, is they’ll take a basic weight loss truth and apply it to the results of their own product. Like with the Atkins diet, for example.

Researchers point out diets like Atkins take a simple and scientifically proven result and combine it with a quick and fast, usually unhealthy, weight-loss approach.

And continually, people all over the world buy into this concept, when they should really be hyper-aware and stay away from companies that put health over convenience, improper time over proper methods and fast results over actual well-being.

“This simply translates into a significant daily calorie reduction—the basis of any weight loss diet. Any reduction of calories—whether from protein, carbohydrate or fat—will result in weight loss."

"The basic weight loss formula, is calories burned must exceed calories consumed. Easily done when the majority of foods on a typical day’s diet are eliminated. There’s nothing revolutionary about this regimen," said researchers.

If you ask me, food fads are kind of interesting for a couple of reasons.

First, it’s interesting to see how millions of people will all of a sudden decide to stay away from a certain food or choose to eat only one type of food in order to lose weight.

Like the Atkins craze for example, which seemed to peak a few years ago in terms of popularity, for a third time since it was first introduced in the late 1950s.

Research shows exercise as key in reducing body fat while preserving muscle

Are you a fan of "The Biggest Loser," the TV program that shows obese adults losing large amounts of weight over several months? It appears that this is more than just another of those so-called “reality” shows that seem to have captured the attention of a lot of TV viewers.

NIDDK senior investigator Kevin Hall, Ph.D., analyzed the individual effects of daily strenuous exercise and a restricted diet by examining data from 11 participants from "The Biggest Loser." Participants were initially isolated on a ranch followed by an extended period at home.

"By including the show's contestants as voluntary study participants, this research took advantage of a cost-efficient opportunity to study a small group of obese individuals already engaged in an intensive lifestyle intervention," said Hall, who has no financial ties and no other affiliation to the show.

Gauging progress

Researchers measured body fat, total energy expenditure and resting metabolic rate -- the energy burned during inactivity -- three times: at the start of the program, at week 6, and at week 30, which was at least 17 weeks after participants returned home.

Participation in the program led to an average weight loss of 128 pounds, with about 82 percent of that coming from body fat, and the rest from lean tissue like muscle. Preserving lean tissue, even during rapid and substantial weight loss, helps maintain strength and mobility and reduces risk of injury, among other benefits.

Hall used a mathematical computer model of human metabolism -- currently intended for research conducted by scientists and health professionals -- to calculate the diet and exercise changes underlying the observed body weight loss. Because the TV program was not designed to directly address how the exercise and diet interventions each contributed to the weight loss, the computer model simulated the results of diet alone and exercise alone to estimate their relative contributions.

Diet vs exercise

At the competition’s end, diet alone was calculated to be responsible for more weight loss than exercise, with 65 percent of the weight loss consisting of body fat and 35 percent consisting of lean mass like muscle. In contrast, the model calculated that exercise alone resulted in participants losing only fat, and no muscle. The simulation of exercise alone also estimated a small increase in lean mass despite overall weight loss.

The simulations also suggest that the participants could sustain their weight loss and avoid weight regain by adopting more moderate lifestyle changes -- like 20 minutes of daily vigorous exercise and a 20 percent calorie restriction -- than those demonstrated on the television program.

More than two-thirds of U.S. adults age 20 and older are overweight or obese, and more than one-third of adults are obese. Excess weight can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and certain cancers.

"This study reinforces the need for a healthy diet and exercise in our daily lives," said NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers. "It also illustrates how the science of metabolism and mathematical modeling can be used to develop sound recommendations for sustainable weight loss -- an important tool in the treatment of obesity -- based on an individual’s unique circumstances."

Are you a fan of "The Biggest Loser," the TV program that shows obese adults losing large amounts of weight over several months? It appears that this is more than just another of those so-called “reality” shows that seem to have captured the attention of a lot of TV viewers.

In fact, a study conducted by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) that involved some of the folks on the show found that exercise and healthy eating r...

Over eating could be a product of how we are wired

There are many ways to lose or control weight. There are commercial diet programs, diet pills and old fashioned calorie counting.

But taking neurological steps to control behavior? Could that be the new frontier in weight loss?

Researchers at the University of Iowa are just the latest to suggest that controlling brain impulses may be a key step in controlling diet. The team bred mice that were missing a gene known to cause obesity, and suspected to also be involved in compulsive behavior, with a genetic mouse that was compulsive about grooming. The researchers were surprised when the offspring had neither trait. They weren't compulsive about grooming and they weren't obese.

Unrelated behavior?

Obesity and obsessive-compulsive behavior may seem to be unrelated. But Iowa researcher Dr. Michael Lutter thinks this brain wiring goes back to an evolutionary process when man binged on safe, clean food in times when food was abundant, saving up, in effect, for times when it was scarce.

"Food safety has been an issue through the entire course of human evolution – refrigeration is a relatively recent invention," Lutter said. "Obsessive behavior, or fear of contamination, may be an evolutionary protection against eating rotten food."

Could the researchers be onto something? They aren't the first to recognize the compulsion that causes some people to overeat. Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler wrote a book about it, suggesting that eating too much fat, salt and sugar can alter your brain chemistry, leading to compulsive eating habits.

Overpowering forces

David Kessler
Kessler speaks from experience. He says he has struggled throughout his life to control his own weight, often succumbing to what he felt were overpowering forces.

"For much of my life, sugar, fat, and salt held remarkable sway over my behavior," he writes.

Kessler and the Iowa researchers agree that brain circuitry is part of the problem. But while Kessler sees the influences as controlled by outside influences – the content of the food we eat – the Iowa researchers see it as a deeper problem, a hardwiring of our brains.

External cues

Some nutritionists believe that external cues can trigger impulses in our brains that can send us on a food bender. Sometimes it is the mere sight of a buffet. Even a large plate, piled high with delicious food that you find at many chain restaurants, may give our brains a green light to chow down.

Then there are activities like watching hour after hour of television. Some believe this cues us to eat, while making us less responsive to our body's signals that we aren't really hungry and don't need food. We eat because it is a programmed response to what we are doing, not because our bodies are requesting to be fed.

In a 2003 study of childhood obesity, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that, when subjected to a number of eating cues, obese children failed to regulate their eating. Normal weight children, the study found, did not have the same response to the cues.

This is not to suggest that overeating is all in your head. However it does raise the possibility that solving the obesity problem requires a complex solution that involves a regulation of brain circuitry. The Iowa researchers say the next step is development of drugs that can achieve that result.

There are many ways to lose or control weight. There are commercial diet programs, diet pills and old fashioned calorie counting.

But taking neurological steps to control behavior? Could that be the new frontier in weight loss?

Researchers at the University of Iowa are just the latest to suggest that controlling brain impulses may be a key step in controlling diet. The team bred mice that were missing a gene known to cause obesity, and suspected to also be involved in com...

Researchers have found that weighing yourself daily can help you make better food choices.

Attempting to lose weight is a struggle for many people. Controlling what you eat and how you live can be very difficult, but a new study suggests that weighing yourself every day could be helpful.

The initial phase of the study took place over a year. Researchers gathered 162 participants and told them that they were allowed to use whatever means they wished to lose weight. The participants each had a goal of losing 10 percent of their initial body weight by the end of the first year.

Maintaining weight loss

Members of the control group were given no additional directions, but the experimental group, which consisted of 88 people, were each given a scale. Researchers asked the latter group to weigh themselves every day and track their progress on a chart.

The experimental group outperformed the control group in its weight loss goal. Those who weighed themselves and recorded the results lost an average of three percent of their body weight in the first year. Those who did not receive additional directions did not see any significant change in their weight, on average.

After the first year, the experimental group continued to outperform the control group. They maintained their weight loss more effectively over the course of the following year. “There are thousands of ways to lose weight … Losing weight is not the problem, but to maintain that weight loss is the problem,” said David Levitsky, an author of the study and professor of nutrition and psychology at Cornell University.

Of the two groups, those that weighed themselves daily were more than twice as successful at losing at least five percent of their initial weight during the first year (29% vs. 11%). Those that reached the goal of losing 10 percent of their initial body weight were also stacked in the experimental group’s favor (9% vs. 5%).

Losing weight is still a challenge

These results show that losing weight is still a challenge, but that regularly stepping on the scale can make a difference. It is not clear why this is the case, but researchers theorize that those that weigh themselves every day are more conscious of the food choices they make daily.

“If you find what you did yesterday made you gain weight, I think that acts as a negative reinforcement,” said Levitsky. Weighing yourself can also make you more likely to skip dessert or control your portion size more effectively.

Attempting to lose weight is a struggle for many people. Controlling what you eat and how you live can be very difficult, but a new study suggests that weighing yourself every day could be helpful.

The initial phase of the study took place over a year. Researchers gathered 162 participants and told them that they were allowed to use whatever means they wished to lose weight. The participants each had a goal of losing 10 percent of their initial body weight by the end of...

For the highly motivated, these apps could replace a health club

Too much computer use can lead to weight gain and poor overall health. But there are tools you can access with your computer or mobile device that might help you get in shape and improve your health, without the expense of a health club.

Even before the mobile explosion, some people were finding online tools for logging exercise and improving dietary habits. Since 2005, when the Agriculture Department (USDA) replaced its food pyramid with My Plate, the government-run website has provided consumers a way to monitor diet and activity.

Today, MyPlate.gov provides SuperTracker, a free tool to get personalized nutrition information and a physical activity plan. Using the tool consumers can also track their foods and physical activities, to see how they stack up against recommendations. The tool also provides tips and support to help users make healthier choices.

SuperTracker

Within SuperTracker, there are also tools for managing your weight, looking up nutritional values of 8,000 different foods, setting goals and exploring recipes.

When smartphones came along, many of these online tools were developed into apps, designed for use on the go. Some apps are free and some you pay for. As you might expect, the ones you pay for tend to have more features.

My Fitness Pal

My Fitness Pal is among the apps that can turn your phone into a fitness training tool. In large part, My Fitness Pal is an food diary and activity log. The idea is, if you can keep track of the calories you consume and those you burn you'll have more success at managing a healthy weight. It has a searchable food database of more than three million food items. It's a free download for iPhone and Android.

Couch to 5K, also known as C25K, is a fitness app designed for novices. It is geared toward literally taking someone from the couch and getting them ready to take part in a 5K race in eight weeks.

The app's developers say the program will allow users to slowly build strength and stamina by alternating between walking and running, and only 3 days a week. One feature is that you can listen to music while you work out and follow the program’s audio alerts that tell you when to warm up, walk, run, and when one minute is left to give it your all.

Digifit works with a heart monitor to record workouts with real-time heart rate and calories displayed on the screen. Users can track weight, blood pressure, sleep, and more to see the connection between health and fitness.

Getting social

Endomondo Sports Tracker is another fitness app, with a key difference. It's also a social app. It tracks duration, distance, calories and more in real-time, offers audio feedback and brings in your friends to deliver a peptalk while you’re exercising. Once you set a time, distance or calorie goal you get more advanced audio coaching.

You can also set a previous workout or a friend's performance as your target for additional motivation. The app keeps a full log of your training.

Digital fitness

In addition to converting your smartphone to a fitness device, there are also devices specifically designed to promote health a fitness. A number of these new devices are making a debut at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Show officials say nearly 10% of companies showing their wares have products in the health and fitness niche.

For example, Casio has rolled out the STB-1000, a sports watch using Bluetooth to enable wearers to check personal fitness data from popular mobile apps, operate a music player on a smartphone.

"This is an ideal sports watch for countless recreational runners who exercise with their iPhones," said Shigenori Itoh, CEO of Casio America Inc. "In addition to the compatibility with several apps, it has a battery life up to two years and a versatile, water-proof design that makes it easy to use and wear before, during and after any workout."

The watch itself, without an iPhone, also has other sports watch functions including recording up to 120 lap times.

Too much computer use can lead to weight gain and poor overall health. But there are tools you can access with your computer or mobile device that might help you get in shape and improve your health, without the expense of a health club.

Even before the mobile explosion, some people were finding online tools for logging exercise and improving dietary habits. Since 2005, when the Agriculture Department (USDA) replaced its food pyramid with My Plate, the government-run web...

Committing to a change in lifestyle is a key to success

Millions of people start the new year resolving to improve their health – in particular, lose weight. Most of us go into it with no clue about what we're up against.

First, it's hard to lose weight. To lose even modest amounts of fat you need to consume fewer calories each day than you burn – in some cases 500 fewer.

It also has to be maintained over the long-haul. For some, when success doesn't come early, they give up. This can be particularly true if you have a lot of weight to lose.

You might also have some initial success, only to regain the weight weeks or months later. To guard against this frustration, obesity experts recommend a number of novel approaches to improve obesity therapeutics.

No cookie-cutter diets

They include added emphasis on an individualized approach to weight-loss treatments and maintenance, and the integration of behavioral psychology to identify interventions that work.

“Despite advancements in our understanding of obesity, weight regain after weight loss remains the most substantial problem in obesity treatment – with both the body and the mind conspiring against individual efforts to maintain weight loss,” said Dr. Paul MacLean, co-chair of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) working group who authored the report.

MacLean says differences in our behavioral and genetic makeups lead some to do well with one weight-loss approach while others do not. What works for a friend or coworker may be very different from a weight-loss program that’s most effective and sustainable for you over the long term.

Get your doctor's input

The bottom line? You have to pick a weight-loss program that is right for you. A mass market weight-loss program might work for you, then again it might not. You and your doctor may need to collaborate on a combination of diet and exercise that you can maintain over time. And “over time” is the key qualifier.

“Personalized medicine is not a new idea,it is one that is applied and encouraged across many areas of medicine,” said Chris Ochner, PhD, of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Why not apply it to obesity treatment? Weight loss is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”

Finding a diet and exercise lifestyle you can live with is part of the battle. Perhaps a deeper part is being willing to change the behavior that is causing you to be overweight.

Are you ready to change?

Meg Baker, director of the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) Employee Wellness, says while the focus on self-improvement is good, an individual must be ready to make a change in order to actually do so.

“Readiness to change is a big factor,” she said. “You have to want to change your lifestyle to successfully improve your health.”

To help prepare for any lifestyle change, Baker offers these tips:

Develop small, short-term goals that will fit into your schedule; these should be realistic.

Consider the benefits and reasons for the change.

Talk to a family member, friend or co-worker about goals; this accountability will increase the likelihood of your staying committed to a new gym regimen or smoking cessation plan, and they may want to join you.

To improve your chances of success, Baker suggests starting small. Find a form of exercise that you love, make small nutritional changes like packing a lunch or cooking dinner at home, and get digital reinforcements by using tracking systems and apps like those offered by the American Heart Association, and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Millions of people start the new year resolving to improve their health – in particular, lose weight. Most of us go into it with no clue about what we're up against.

First, it's hard to lose weight. To lose even modest amounts of fat you need to consume fewer calories each day than you burn – in some cases 500 fewer.

It also has to be maintained over the long-haul. For some, when success doesn't come early, they give up. This can be particularly tr...

Terms of Use Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use.

Advertisements on this site are placed and controlled by outside advertising networks. ConsumerAffairs.com does not evaluate or endorse the products and services advertised. See the FAQ for more information.

Partner with ConsumerAffairs for Brands If your company has a page on our site, we invite you to sign up for a Starter Account today to respond to your customers directly. Alternatively, you may call us at 1-866-773-0221.

The information on this Web site is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice. ConsumerAffairs.com makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information herein provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use thereof.